The Psychological Impact of Professional Decline

The Atlantic
The Atlantic
4M ago
201 views
The article explores the emotional challenges faced by individuals experiencing professional decline, particularly those who have achieved significant success. It discusses the concept of 'irrelevance' and its correlation with unhappiness in older adults, highlighting research that shows a decline in happiness after peak career years. The author reflects on personal experiences and broader societal trends, emphasizing the need for individuals to prepare for inevitable changes in their professional lives to avoid feelings of despair.
The Psychological Impact of Professional Decline
A What happened
The article explores the emotional challenges faced by individuals experiencing professional decline, particularly those who have achieved significant success. It discusses the concept of 'irrelevance' and its correlation with unhappiness in older adults, highlighting research that shows a decline in happiness after peak career years. The author reflects on personal experiences and broader societal trends, emphasizing the need for individuals to prepare for inevitable changes in their professional lives to avoid feelings of despair.
★

Key insights

  • 1

    Happiness Curve: Happiness typically declines in middle age but increases after 50.

  • 2

    Irrelevance and Unhappiness: Feeling useless correlates with higher rates of disability and mortality in seniors.

  • 3

    Professional Decline: Many successful individuals struggle with identity and purpose after career peaks.

Takeaways

Preparing for professional decline is essential for maintaining well-being in later life.

Topics

Self-Improvement Mental Models Work & Education Career Growth Resilience